Produce washing machine



Nov. 9, 1948. L. H. PLATT VE1- Al.

PRODUCE WASHING MACHINE Filed May 15, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y r., a l

i m p.; A Ik `p Y www N hbMJ, 3,.

3344-5-46, 'dz/caen lPRODUCE WASHING MACHINE Filled May 1:5]1946 2 'sheets-sheet` 2 M ,y y MVA 'YZAY/VVVK? Blitz-JL- duce.

` at ythe edges of the belt.

Patented Nov. 9, 1948 PRODUCE WASHING MACHINE A Leland rr. Platt, Leimen-Platt, .I1-arid l n John'). Platt, Los Angeles, Calif.` i

Applicaties May 13, lerici-serial No. 669,305

1 l This invention has to do with improvements in equipment for washing produce, `for example lcarrots and other vegetables, particularly of type in which the produce is carried on ori-advanced i falong a flexible belt contained ina housing c1' 5 tank with the produce being washed bywater sprays directed downwardly from above the belt. n.

More `speciil-cally, the invention relates to improvements in this type of washer employinga horizon-tally extending bel-t anchored at one or l more locations against bodily'radvanc-ement,and actuated by a mechanism operating to effect up f and down wave-like deflections -of the belt, occurring at such timed or sequential relationas to advance the produce through :the washing Zon-e.

structurally, the invention contemplates positioning the belt with its edges in close proximity to side walls Vof the housing,` or an overlying hood structure,` and producing wave-like deflections of the bel-t by a` mechanism `contained within th'e 20 housing .below the belt and acting to impart thereto alternating up and down dellections, as and for the purpose forward.,`

One of our primary objects is to provide important improvements assuring againstthe interruption, congestion or fouling ofthe produce adlarities capable of `receiving or arresting .the prohave been encountered in carrot washers by reaquential openings inthe hou-singwalls. According to the invention, 'vs-uch walls are made to pre"l sent closed or non-apertured `surfaces assuring free advancement of any produce engaging them Another feature and object of` the invention `ing successive pairs of members orrods extending transversely below the belt, and carried `for rotathe un-der surface of the belt, by plate-like supports or discs mounted for rotation insideand adf jacent the housing walls. Byproperly positioning and timing the rotation of the individual units or i the `b l i lie ed in -lik l Tod pars et 1S de Ct Wave e pro 50 a horizontal course within the housing.. may be "inade of a ilexible woven wire 'belt 23, typically jin the form .shown in Fig. 4 to comprise ilattened `spiral wire loops 2d turned about the transverse "Wires 25 to give the ,material `longitudinal ilexi- -bility. The ends of the belt are suitably anchored gressioneiecting uniform advancement of the produce, all in a manner permitting confinement? A of the .deflecting mechanism below the belt and maintaining by virtue of the proximity of the carrier discs to the housing walls, the desired wall continui-ty and freedom from obstructions, referred to above. Y C i A further important Objectis the provision` of 'means for so controlling or limiting the belt deflection in a downward direction, while permitting its Afree yupward deflection; as to avoid bucklingor 2 claims. (c1. iss-410s) As illustrative, diflculties of thisch'aracterlfl doubling ytendencies `which might otherwise interferel `with proper progression of thebelt deflection and uniform` advancement of the produ-ce.` In thisconnection, the invention contemplates; pref erably by incorporation in the belt itself, novel `means whereby portions ofthe belt between and extending rearwardly from ran-chor locationspare maintained against downward deiiectionssuchas might otherwise result in tendencies 'for thebelt i to buckle and consequently `retain the produce against regularadvancement.

All the various -features `and objects -of the invention will! be understood to better advantage from the following `detailedodescription` of the typical and `illustrative embodiment shown byth accompanying drawings,`in which: i i

Fig. 1 is alongitudinal sectional viewfof` the washer; Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-section-on linefZ-Z ofr'ig. 1; i

Fig. 3 is a fragmentaryside view tak-en online 3--3 of Fig. 2` between tanland hood structure;

Fig. 4 is afragmentaryview ofi-,he woven wire belt showing the allixe'd stop plates;

Fig. l5 is ia fragmentary enlargedview illustratingione of the belt "anchor locations :and deiiectingrodsand n 1 Fig. `6 `is an enlarged fragmentary 4section 'as `viewed on lines B--E of Figs; 2 and 5.

The washing machine assembly is shown `to comprise a housing structure, generally indicated at lll, the specific shape, size and detail-s ofwhich may be varied to suit the purposes of `particular designs. "Typically," the housing structure is shown to comprise `a lower or tanksection l l and an overlying cover or hood section l2, the "ver- 'tical side walls `I3A of which extend parallel with and in spaced relation at l4"to"the sides ofthe is shown to .have an inclined bottom I6 from di- .rectly abovewhich an outlet'il'! extends through one side of thetank. vWater entering the diation of the individual pairs into engagement with 451gmmmatlca 1y mustmted piu-mp s from the out let, is discharged .upwardly through pipe |`9Linto 'The lbe'lt, generally indicated at 22, extendsin at 25 .and 2l as byattachment to rods `28Lwhich may extend through the .side walls `of the hood ft2 to support and .secure the hood imposition.

`The specific `forms of the attachment at 26 and 2l may correspond wththe belt anchors later l plaine-d. i It will be observed that the side walls I3 of the describedrwith reference to Fig. 5 by welding the belt endstosleevs'il carried on l'the rods.

The belt waving mechanism generally indicated at 30 comprises a horizontal series of units 3l each consisting of a pair of plate metal discs 32 substantially in surface engagement with the side walls I3 of the hood, and carrying a pair of diametrically opposed rods 33 extendingtransversely beneath the belt 23. Discs 32 arecarried on trunnions 34 extending through open` bottom recesses 35 in the lower edges of walls 13 and journaled in bearings 36 mounted on anglebrackets 31 attached to the tank Il. Each of the trunnionsf'34 carries a sprocket 38 having attachments at 39 with the disc 32, thus in effect in'- t'egrating and re-enforcing the disc, sprocket and trunnionassembly. As shown at the left in 1`Fgf2 `ine ofthetrunnions 34a may be extended at'V 40"-through'thelside of the tank to carry a @sprocket 4l drivenby chain 42 from ya suitable power source. One or more'of the trunnions may ysimilarly be extended through both sides of the tank to carry drive-sprockets.

Referring to Fig. A3, the sprockets 38' in each series along the outsides of the hood l2, are interconnectedfor rotation together lby an endless chain 44 passing beneath and engaging the idler sprockets 45. may be supported for idling rotationabout shafts 46 terminally carried within brackets 41 attached to the tank wall, and extending transversely beneath the belt 23. Thus the drive transmitted Referring yto Fig. 6, sprockets 45 from sprocket 4| and shaft 34a to one of the.

vsprockets 38, is transmitted by chain 44 to all the sprockets 38, causing disc 32 to rotate at the same speed in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 1.v

The belt 23 is anchored at uniformly spaced intervals to the shafts 46, as by welding the belt i -at,48,*see Fig. 5, to rotatable sleeves 49 carried by the shafts. Between its points of attachments to the shafts 4B, the belt has sufficient looseness or slack for the production of progressive wavelike inflections by the mechanisms 30, as will now sitioned in horizontally opposed relation, the belt 23 assumes between the rods trough formations substantially as shown, Then upon rotation of the rodsthrough the progressive stages and poment of produce carried at the edges of the belt 23 and engaging the hoo'd"'wa1l.i 'This feature effectively eliminates the difficulties heretofore experienced in preventing the produce from lodging or becoming lodged or entangled beyond the edges of the belt.

Referring again to Fig. 1, it has been found that when Linder load, a belt having` free downward flexibility between the anchor locations, or throughout an extent approaching each anchorage, may tend to sag and become buckled or dou-` bled upon itself by the advancing rod 33, to a degree resulting in the formation of a pocket from which the produce Willnot become displaced; at least at a regular rate of; advancement. Accordingly,V provision is made. for `limiting downward flexibility of at least those portions ofthe belt vwhich otherwise would tend toassume the stated Referringl to doubled and pocketed condition. Fig. 4, the belt 23 isshown to carry'throughout that extent yof the belt to be lirnited against downiward deilection, a series of relatively smallnilat plates 54, each welded at -toone of the spiral loops 24, and extending in overlapping relation with the adjacent loops. The successive loops 24 arefree to turn about the transverse wires 23in one direction, thus giving the belt free upward flexibility, but successive loops throughout, the course of the belt to which the stop plates 24 are applied,` are arrested against downward flexure beyond positions of substantially straight alinement longitudinally of the belt. Thus as the rods 33 advance along the belt, and say to the position of rod 33a in Fig. 1, the beltspan rearwardly from the anchor shaft 46a will assume a nonsagging condition, assuring complete passage 'of the produce into the trough beyond. I

We claim: Y A' 1. Produce washing equipment comprising,y a flexible belt, a housing including vertical walls extending along and in closeproximity to the sides of the belt, a series of opposed pairs of vertical discs rotatable adjacent the insides of said walls', a pair of rods carried by each `opposed pair vof discs and extending transversely beneath the belt, said rods operating alternately to engage and elevate the undersurface of the belt, and means for driving said disc pairs to effect progressive Wave-like deflections of the belt toadsitions illustrated, the right-hand' end portions `of the belt sections between their anchor points,

become progressively elevated in a sequence and `relationship causing the belt to assume advancing wave-like deflections which displace the proi f duce at a steady and regular rate to the discharge lend of the belt. During progression of the prohood, and the discs 32 arranged substantially in surface engagement with the hood, present above vthe belt 23 a continuous or non-apertured wall,

free from any irregularities, openings or other obstructions which might retain or arrest the move- Vance the produce thereon. l y f 2. Produce washing equipment comprising a .horizontally extending woven Wire .flexible belt,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent: 1 l w UNiTEp STATES PATENTS Number Name i-Date` y 1,404,706 Blakeslee Jan. 241922 1,952,873 King Mar. 27,1934 1,958,322 Syrnington May 8, 1934 2,052,001 Platt Aug. 28, 193'6 2,141,362 Platt et al. Dec. 27, 1938 

